Tuesday 10 March 2026 | 15:15-16:15
Stream: Safety
Session format: Presentation
Chair: Caroline Heijckmann Internist-Endocrinologist and Medical Leader - Quality and Safety, Bernhoven; Netherlands

Adverse events affect not only patients and families but also healthcare professionals and organisations. This session brings together two approaches to supporting staff and strengthening safety culture. First, participants will learn from Norway’s national guide on caring for healthcare workers - highlighting preparation, leadership, and building organisational resilience. Next, a multisite program from Qatar demonstrates how culturally sensitive, peer-led second victim support can rebuild trust, foster psychological safety, and uncover systemic safety challenges. Together, these stories illustrate practical ways to care for staff after harm, combat a culture of infallibility, and create resilient, learning organisations.

Part 1 - Adverse events: how to care for healthcare workers and build resilience in organisations

The Norwegian Directorate of Health has through an evidence-based and co-creative process developed a guide for caring for patients, users, families and healthcare workers in connection with adverse events. Caring is conceptualized as involving not only empathy and support, but also the opportunity to take part in learning processes after an event.

The guide also emphasises: 

• Advance preparation in order to build resilience in the organization
• A conscious effort to restore trust and relationships
• The pivotal role of leadership and culture

Reciprocally, better care in connection with adverse events will build a more open and learning culture.

This session will walk the participants through the important elements in caring for healthcare workers. At the same time we will demonstrate a seminar concept that can be used in departments in healthcare to build resilience by preparing for handling adverse events, promoting psychological safety and combating a culture of infallibility.

After this session, participants will, related to handling adverse events:

• Have a broader view of what caring for healthcare workers involves.
• Be acquainted with the important elements and a selection of methods.
• Have a model for a seminar at the department level to prepare health care workers and build resilience in the organization.

Joy Buikema Fjaertoft Norwegian Directorate of Health; Norway

Part 2 - Rebuilding safety culture through culturally sensitive second victim support: lessons from a multisite peer-led programme

This session explores how second victim support programs can be powerful tools for strengthening patient safety culture in healthcare organisations. Using the THIQA Program at Hamad Medical Corporation as a case study, participants will gain insights into culturally sensitive implementation strategies, peer support models, and key challenges in uptake and sustainability. The session will highlight how organisational culture, leadership style, and psychological safety influence program success and staff engagement. Delegates will leave equipped with practical tools and evidence-based approaches to design or enhance second victim support in their own settings.
Healthcare professionals, leaders, and quality advocates will benefit from real-world lessons on building staff resilience, addressing emotional distress after adverse events, and driving safety culture transformation essential for improving both staff well-being and patient outcomes.

After this session, participants will be able to: 

• Understand the impact of organisational culture on the design and uptake of second victim support programs.
• Identify systemic safety issues revealed through the implementation and utilisation of support initiatives.
• Develop culturally sensitive approaches to support healthcare staff after adverse events and enhance patient safety culture.

Somia Elfaki  Hamad Medical Corporation; Qatar